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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: A Token of Gratitude
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“Saintess, your lips are twitching.”
I was trying to hold back the urge to shout at them to go fight in the training grounds and not wreck my room, when Zenric subtly whispered to me from the side.
This kid’s got a quick eye.
To be honest, a part of me wasn’t displeased.
And why would I be? I never expected Lana to get so angry on my behalf.
She still couldn’t even look me in the eye, so I thought she was still scared of me.
I was already feeling down because people had been avoiding me even more since the attack, so Lana's sincerity made me very happy.
“Priestess Lana, thank you for worrying about me.”
Lana, who was pulling at Jeremy, flinched at my words and released her grip.
Jeremy's clothes were terribly wrinkled; if she'd let go a moment later, the new outfit I got him would have been torn to shreds.
“I-I'm sorry for causing a disturbance…”
Lana timidly fidgeted with her fingers, as if she hadn't just been manhandling someone's clothes into a ragged mess.
Why are you apologizing when I'm thanking you? It just makes me feel worse.
“…Are you, are you feeling all right?”
Wow… Now this is truly surprising.
Lana is speaking to me about something other than greetings. I’m touched.
“I'm fine. The High Priest said I just need to rest for a while.”
“Th-that's a relief. A-and, um, th-this…”
Lana handed me something with a trembling hand.
It was a bottle containing a liquid the color of a tender blade of grass that had just sprouted from the earth.
“It's a nutritional supplement. I was doing some research and, uh, I happened to make one…”
At this rate, the touching gestures are reaching a lethal dose.
“Thank you. It feels like such a waste to drink it.”
“You have to drink all of it! You need to drink every last drop for it to be most effective!”
I was only joking a little, but Lana suddenly shouted.
I guess I really have no talent for jokes.
“I-I'm sorry for raising my voice…”
When I stared at her in surprise, she must have misunderstood, because she quickly lowered her gaze and apologized.
Sensing a change of mood was needed, I immediately opened the bottle and drank the supplement.
A rich, refreshing tartness, like the vitamin supplements I used to take in my past life, coated my tongue.
“Oh, this is delicious.”
“Priestess Lana researched that in her spare time, even while making potions, just to give it to you, Saintess.”
As Zenric whispered this to me from the side, Lana hit his forearm, asking why he had to say that.
It wasn't a slap, but a solid *thwack!* that echoed out.
I looked pityingly at Zenric, whose face had gone pale.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I think I'll be able to spend the day feeling refreshed.”
When I gave Lana a bright smile, her cheeks flushed red.
It was a funny contrast to Zenric, who was clutching his arm and being supported by Wolfgang.
Their business done, the three of them soon left my room.
I took the opportunity to send Victoria, Monica, and Jeremy out as well.
Because I had to use my blessing on a thousand potions.
I coughed up blood just blessing five hundred bottles. This time it's double that, and my body isn't in great shape, so I'll probably cough up even more, right?
But I can't just not use the blessing, so I have no choice but to push myself a little, just for today.
[Activating skill ‘Blessing’.]
A reddish aura began to mix into the brilliant vermilion liquid.
The sight of a thousand bottles simultaneously taking on the color of a sunset was truly a spectacle, but…
“*Cough! Ck!*”
I had no time to admire the magnificent scene.
I quickly covered my mouth with a cloth I had prepared in advance.
I was definitely coughing up twice as much blood as last time.
“*Gasp.* Dammit, why won't it stop—*cough!* Ugh, just stop coming out!”
It was harder to be careful not to get any on the long, flowing sleeves of my saintess robes.
Nearly a minute passed before the coughing finally stopped.
The cloth was stained crimson. A bit horrifying.
It looks like it would be hard to wash this out. What should I do? It's still autumn, so we're not using the fireplace, which means I can't burn it.
A way to dispose of it without anyone knowing…
*Click.*
“Saintess, are you dying?”
But in that moment, something dark suddenly dropped from the ceiling!
“What the—!”
I was so startled that I swung my divine power without thinking.
“Ah, ow. Aaaah.”
The thing, struck by my divine power, let out a short scream and fell to the floor with a thud.
The figure rolling on the floor, clutching its face, was none other than Jeremy.
Ugh, seriously! I thought I was going to faint!
“What are you? Why did you come from there?”
“You told me to protect you, Saintess.”
A reddish mark remained on Jeremy's fair face as he answered nonchalantly.
I pressed my hand to my forehead.
“So you didn't leave and hid in the ceiling instead? How did you even get in there?”
“It's the only place I can protect you quietly without being seen.”
I sighed and rubbed Jeremy's cheek.
I wanted to heal him, but I'd just used a lot of blessings, so my body was in the worst condition and I couldn't.
“Still, in a dirty place like that…”
“No. It's much more comfortable than the place I lived in at the Grand Temple of the Great Sea God.”
“A dirty ceiling…?”
Just what kind of place did you live in there?
“A narrow room where I couldn't even lie down comfortably. And all around, it was covered in divine script that bound my entire body.”
“…”
My hand, which had been rubbing his cheek, stopped on its own.
These kinds of details weren't in the original story, so I had no idea.
“That's why I'm so grateful that you took me in, Saintess.”
Now I understand why Jeremy said it was fine even if he was locked in a prison.
Because a prison spacious enough to stretch his legs out, without the divine script binding him, was far better than the room he'd lived in.
Those bastards at the Grand Temple of the Great Sea God were truly scum.
“…Stay as long as you want. If you want to live freely after the curse is lifted, you can leave. Do whatever you wish.”
“For now, I like it here.”
I nodded at Jeremy's words.
If you like it here, I'll let you stay, even if it means fighting the Grand Temple of the Great Sea God.
My relationship with them was already ruined anyway, so it couldn't get any worse.
“But if you want to stay here, you have to follow a few rules.”
“What are they?”
“Don't tell anyone about me.”
“For example, that?”
Jeremy gestured with his eyes toward the bloody cloth in my hand. I nodded.
“Yes, things like this. Everything I do when no one is watching. Even if you happen to see it by chance, you must keep it a secret.”
Until I reveal it myself.
“I understand.”
Jeremy agreed without even asking why. He probably thinks I'll kick him out if he doesn't keep his promise.
I have no intention of doing so, but I didn't bother to correct his misunderstanding.
I had to protect my secret, no matter what.
“Then, please dispose of this without anyone knowing.”
It was an unexpected situation, but since it had happened, I decided to make good use of my new assistant.
After Jeremy took the bloody cloth and disappeared back into the ceiling, I washed my hands and opened the window to air out the room.
Remembering how I was almost caught last time, I let it air out for a little longer.
Thanks to that, Victoria wasn't suspicious at all this time.
After seeing off Victoria and Monica as they left pushing the trolley, I secretly sighed in relief.
Hah, I really need to get some rest now. I'm exhausted.
* * *
The nutritional supplement Lana gave me was amazing.
I'd been exhausted every day since getting rid of half the curse, but today, despite even coughing up blood, my condition was pretty good.
Even the Bacch-X I used to live on during my detective days never revived me this much.
“I could make a pretty penny selling this.”
Haven't modern people proven the necessity of fatigue-recovery drinks with their own bodies?
Besides, it doesn't contain any divine power or alchemy, so it could be sold much more cheaply.
That means anyone, noble or commoner, could enjoy it without being constrained by money.
I should seriously propose this to Lana.
But first, I need to deal with the matter at hand.
“So, you're saying that Count and Countess Hindel sent all these people?”
The Grand Temple entrance.
Drawn outside from lazing around in bed by Monica's fussing, I gasped in admiration at the scene before me.
“Yes! These are laborers to help with the temple's renovations. And these are the chefs, and they've also brought ingredients for the kitchen.”
It was a blessing from Count and Countess Hindel, who had recognized and sent the most urgent things the poor Grand Temple needed.
